Barefoot Girl and I were ready for the challenge as we tossed our overnight cases into the trunk of the car and headed due east to Asheville, NC early last Wednesday morning.

Five hours (and NO stops) later we arrived in front of the Smith-McDowell House in Asheville. This historic house is hosting a tea exhibit highlighting the many ways in which tea was enjoyed in a 19th century home. That would have been draw enough for us to visit, but we had also written two of the tea information panels on display in the house and we wanted to see the tearoom's name in print!

It was a thrilling moment and best of all, the tour ended with a delightful cup of tea lovingly prepared for us by the house docent. This capped off the event is a most perfect way! Visit wnchistory.org for more information on this exhibit which runs until September 28, 2019.

But it was only 4 o'clock and hours 'till sunset so what's a mom and her girl to do?

Tour the Biltmore of course! We found it was only 4 miles away so we reached the gate house fairly fast and spent the next 3 1/2 hours touring the mammoth gardens, green houses and hiking trails located on the grounds.

We stopped to smell the roses, actually Barefoot Girl smelled ALL the roses...

stood in awe of the beauty found in the green houses...

and walked barefoot around the wading pools.

We left the Biltmore as the sun was setting and went back the next morning for 3 additional hours, touring the house this time. Although there was no true tea happening there that day, we saw so many lovely tea services set up and ready for use in countless beautiful rooms and we did dream of having a cuppa on the open-air loggia.

Heading westward (home-bound) now we needed refreshment and after consulting destinationtea.com we found what turned out to be the perfect tea stop for us.

Nettie's Bakery is located in Waynesville, NC just west of Asheville off of I 40. What a treasure!

Our High Tea was ready when we arrived and included freshly prepared tomato soup, quiche, sandwiches, dodashes, (cheese straws in the round) baked goods, and really good loose leaf tea.

Tea friends are forever friends and this mother/daughter team own, serve, and bake for Nettie's Bakery, so named after a beloved grandmother. This place is worth a drive, a day trip or overnight adventure. Don't miss it!

We arrived home as the sun was setting and marveled over where those 24 hours had taken us. It was a wonderful tea-infused get-away with my VBF! Luv you, Barefoot Girl...